


You Keep Passing Me By

by LikeShipsInTheNight



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-21
Updated: 2013-07-10
Packaged: 2017-12-15 15:51:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/851328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LikeShipsInTheNight/pseuds/LikeShipsInTheNight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Niall saw Harry it was purely coincidental, they were both just at the same place at the same time. But it was a blissful coincidence because surely either of them would rather die than forget the moment they met for the first time. Though they met on bad circumstances the beauty of meeting in the first place, the beauty of meeting each other was what actually had the moment so deeply engraved in their brain, they could still replay that moment like it was yesterday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually a song fic I guess because it was fully based on a the song "Ships in the Night" by Mat Kearney. You can tell I'm obsessed with the song because of my username. This is my first oneshot ever.... I'm a bit more of a chaptered person but yeah. Also this will have 2 parts but second part will be up on saturday. Second part will be just as long if not longer than this one.   
> Sorry if its not all that good, like so sorry. Also I'm gonna hint smut but not actually describe it like sorta just going to be implied but I'll think about doing real smut on part 2. so yeah. Enjoy sorry for my awkward note.

The first time Niall saw Harry it was purely coincidental, they were both just at the same place at the same time. But it was a blissful coincidence because surely either of them would rather die than forget the moment they met for the first time. Though they met on bad circumstances the beauty of meeting in the first place, the beauty of meeting each other was what actually had the moment so deeply engraved in their brain, they could still replay that moment like it was yesterday. Even if it happened years ago and their lives are completely different now, nothing like they imagines it’d be at the time.

 

-

_Like ships in the night_

_You keep passing me by_

_Just wasting time_

_Trying to prove who's right_

_And if it all goes crashing into the sea_

_If it's just you and me_

_Trying to find the light_

-

 

Niall sat against a tree in a park he didn’t know the name of and a place he couldn’t remember driving to. But in all honestly he didn’t care because he was tired, he was tired of caring about everything and even though he tried to make things work they never did. Even with his head leaning completely back against the tree his tears didn’t care to stop rushing down his cheeks. His face was rosy and he could hear himself heaving because of all the crying he’d been doing lately. His chest felt tight and he couldn’t stand breathing anymore. He just wanted it all to stop.

 

He wanted to stop believing in people, he wanted to stop hoping for the best in them. He wanted to stop giving people another chance when they didn’t deserve them. He wanted to stop getting hurt, getting his heart trampled all over like it was nothing.

 

He let out a scream, it was loud but he still didn’t mind it. It relieved the pain in his chest so he did it again and then started slamming his fist into the grass below him. He was crying way worse than before now. He was hiccuping and sobbing and he couldn’t see any of the things in front of him anymore. His vision was blurry because of all of his tears but they just kept streaming down his face nonetheless and he did nothing to stop it because why would he?

 

Niall kept sobbing and crying and hiccuping digging his long bony fingers harshly into the ground beneath him not knowing what to do anymore. He didn’t actually see when someone slid down on the ground next to him or when green orbs just stared at the blond boy with visible brown roots growing out.

 

Harry sat there, his head tilted to the side slightly feeling sorry for the beautiful boy beside him. He looked stunning even when he was a crying heaving mess. Harry had never seen such a beautiful person his entire life and it made his heart ache to see him in so much pain. He wanted to see the blond boy smile, he thought he probably had a really beautiful smile. Harry licked his thin pink lips slightly and put a hand over Niall’s where he was digging his fingers into the ground.

 

Niall finally noticed the presence beside him and was shocked when he saw a pale yet less pale hand then his own fall on top of his. The hand was soft and warm and Niall didn’t feel the need to pull away so he just looked up and saw a view that startled him. He saw a boy with milk chocolate delicate curls thickly framing his face and emerald green eyes that shone beautifully in the moonlight. Though sitting he looked tall and lanky but well built, it didn’t really matter to Niall though. He thought he was one of the most beautiful people he’d ever laid eyes on. He had this air around him, it was peaceful and made Niall want to be in that air. He wanted to know what it felt like to be at peace. He didn’t really know the feeling.

 

Harry stared at the boy with the ocean blue eyes and felt himself break the overwhelming silence. The only sound that you could have heard before that moment would have probably been Nialls slight hiccup and the sniffling he kept himself doing willing himself to stop crying though his brain and his eyes seemed to have a disagreement because he never actually did.

 

“Are you okay mate? I’m Harry.” Harry spoke quietly even though they were alone in the park he felt like this was somehow an intimate moment and speaking loudly wasn’t actually allowed.

 

He felt dumb for asking the blond boy such a stupid question, obviously he wasn’t okay but he felt the need to say so anyways.

 

“I’m Niall...” His voice was quieter than Harry’s by a tenfold but Harry still heard him because thats just how close they were.

 

The moment Niall spoke his heart wrenched and he felt like digging up a hole and falling into it. His voice sounded hoarse from all the crying and it was scratchy which he didn’t at all appreciate.

 

“What’s wrong?” Harry felt compelled to ask this to the blond because he knew something was wrong and at the back of his head he knew he would answer. He didn’t know why he just knew that he would. And he just happened to be right.

Niall was going to keep quiet. Honestly he was but then why would he I mean, it was a complete stranger, someone he’d probably never meet again. So why did it matter? He’d probably get his thick awful feeling off his chest and get to vent too. So he took up the offer and just talked. He did feel bad for poor Harry, because honestly it’d be a lot of talking.

 

“Have you ever felt like you give someone everything you have, and then they just step all over it and throw it out the window?” Niall asked though he didn’t really expect a response and Harry knew that so he just listened.

 

“That’s how I feel right now... My boyfriend, Liam, I found he was cheating on me again this time with a girl on _our_ couch in _our_ apartment. I’m tired, he does this over and over again and he keeps apologizing and I think ‘okay it was a mistake, he won’t do it again’ but he does. He does it over and over again and I can’t... I can’t deal with it anymore. Do you know we're engaged? He asked me to marry him _two fucking weeks_ ago. I thought he finally wants to change, we’re serious now. I don’t have to feel like he’s gonna cheat on me any minute now anymore you know? And then I go home early because they didn’t need me anymore at the shop and I bought take out a-and there they were a-and I just-” Niall broke down, he pictured the girl and liam on his couch together. The way his hands were all over her and how she was kissing his neck and he just couldn’t hold it in anymore.

 

He weeped, and he hiccuped and sobbed uncontrollably all over again but this time Harry was there and on an instinct he didn’t know he had he grabbed Niall and hugged him. Pulling him tightly to his chest and running a soothing hand through Niall’s blond hair. He shushed him quietly and somehow managed to rock them back and forth. He closed his eyes as he did this because for some reason their proximity brought butterflies into Harry’s stomach and he didn’t actually understand why.

 

Harry felt repulsed by the sound of Niall’s boyfriend. It was clear this Liam didn’t know what he had and how much this guy clearly loved him. Why would you cheat on someone who was as beautiful as Niall was, he was breathtaking with cerulean blue eyes and cinnamon colored freckles sprinkled on his cheeks and nose. He captivated Harry with his milky pale skin, thin frame and strawberry pink lips. Why ruin a relationship with someone who seemed to great and caring and loving and sweet? It all sounded like a big load of shit, ruining something with someone so seemingly perfect. Harry had to remind himself this was a stranger, he could be a deranged serial killer for all he knew but even that thought sounded stupid in his mind. It was like he has known Niall forever and not 20 minutes so the thought of him being a bad person seeming ridiculous.

 

Niall felt his tears seep into Harry’s shirt and felt himself being brought up to stand on his two feet. He stood and looked at Harry with wide eyes, confused on why Harry had brought him up to stand.

 

“Niall, I don’t know you... and you don’t know me either but I’m going to give you some advice and you’re going to take it word for word. Okay?” Harry said quietly but serious nonetheless. The sadness in Niall’s demeanor was heartbreaking and even if they never met again he didn’t want the boy to feel this way ever.

 

Niall stared at the taller boy but felt the need to nod knowing he was actually going to do as he was told because he was probably never going to see this good looking stranger ever again but he wanted to listen anyways.

 

“You’re going to leave... leave holmes chapel because I kinda have a feeling you don’t live around here. You’re going to go to your apartment and tell Liam to get out, and leave. Tell him your engagement is off because you can’t marry someone who can’t keep it in his pants and cheats on him with everything breathing that has legs. You’re going to tell him how you’re feeling but there’s one thing you won’t do okay. You _will not_ cry because he’s made you cry enough and you’re too beautiful to cry okay?” Harry said it slowly but his hands were at Nialls forearms as if keeping him in place though he wasn’t moving.

 

His green eyes swam in Niall’s teary blue ones and he gave a small smile of reassurance to the boy, knowing he needed it.

 

“Okay...” Niall finally felt the word okay come out of his mouth and he wasn’t sure how though he knew he wanted to do exactly said not because Harry said it but because he was tired and he didn’t want to feel that way anymore.

 

Niall felt a rush come over him as his tears sometime in the process stopped flowing and he was thankful. He wouldn’t cry anymore so he grabbed Harry and pulled him close wrapping his arms around him. He buried himself in Harry and Harry was okay with it quickly hugging the shorter boy back tightly.

 

“Thank You...” Niall breathed and he felt somehow happy, and in his mind it was all because of a stranger named Harry.

 

Niall pulled away from the hug and gave Harry a smile, a real smile. One that said he was on the route to happiness. Then he walked away, one foot in front of the other out of the park. Niall soon vanished from Harry’s sight and the only thought left in Harry’s mind was that his smile was ten times as beautiful as he thought it would be.

 

-

_Like ships in the night letting cannonballs fly_

_Say what you mean and it turns to a fight_

_Fists fly from my mouth as it turns south_

_You're down the driveway I'm on the couch_

-

 

The second time Niall saw Harry was a mistake. It shouldn’t have happened but it did anyways and they couldn’t really change it. They didn’t mean to see each other of course, it just sort of happened. Though 2 years later neither boy would admit that they had dreamt of being with the other many times in the past. They wouldn’t admit to thinking of the other when they saw someone with similar eyes because they swore that no one could have as captivating eyes as the other. No one could be nearly as beautiful, they could just be similar and since they couldn’t have the original they’d have to do with that.

 

Both boys found it hilarious that of all places that they could meet they end up meeting in vegas.

 

Niall was walking around the Casino looking for Zayn, the boy thought it would be fun to come to the states and of all places go to vegas. Now the blond had to go on a scavenger hunt to find the raven haired boy so they could go back up to their designated rooms because it was 4am and he was tired. He felt the need to be a good friend and make sure he’s okay since he won’t answer his text.

 

_‘I swear when see Zayn I’m going to hurt him.’_ thought the blond. He shook hair out of his eyes and let his eyes roam all around for the 3rd time in the last 30 minutes. He still couldn’t spot Zayn and he was beginning to lose hope. He thought about just going to bed but for some reason he was compelled to look around one more time. Halfway through his search he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and hoped it was zayn. It was.

 

**im fine, with someone. relax - Z xx**

 

Niall felt himself visibly relax as he rubbed a hand down his face and quickly turned around and started walking without looking up.

 

He somehow ran into someone but didn’t mind it much as he sent a quick apology not looking at the person and walking around them.

 

“Niall? Is that you?” Niall stopped in his tracks, hands dropping from him face as he heard that voice. The voice he’d for some reason dreamt about so much these last 2 years. He knew the owner of that voice and he turned around slowly deliberately trying to make sure this wasn’t all a very sick dream.

 

“Harry?” his voice felt foreign to his own ears, just he never thought he’d see Harry again. But he’s there, right in front of Niall. He looks better than he did 2 years ago and he just can’t understand the thundering feeling in his chest or the knot in his throat.

 

“In the flesh.” Said Harry before taking one long stride towards Niall and encasing him in an unexpected hug. Honestly they’d only met once and such affectionate behavior would probably sound odd to other people but for some reason it was _necessary_ he had had the urge to hug and kiss and caress Niall the moment he stepped out of that park that day in Holmes Chapel, so he wasn’t going to waste this opportunity.

 

The smaller boy hugged Harry back tightly, feeling the need for the hug just as much as Harry did. He inhaled the smell of Harry, it was armani with a hint of cherry cinnamon after shave. The scents in any other person would probably be unappealing but on Harry it had the completely opposite effect.

 

“Hey um Harry, I was heading to my room if you just want to go in and chat for a while. We didn’t really get to properly speak last time...” Niall says into Harry’s shirt his face turning a crimson shade of red feeling grateful he was still securely in Harry’s arms.

 

“That sounds quite good actually” spoke Harry with a smile laced with relief that he was going to get the chance to spend proper time with Niall. Maybe this time he could get his number and they could keep in touch he thought. He would probably really like that.

 

Once they reached Niall room they sat on the couch in front of the coffee table in the room but instead of facing front they decided to face each other.

 

“I’m glad I saw you again Harry, you don’t know how much I appreciate the fact that you helped me break up with Liam. That wasn’t a healthy relationship and I’m glad it’s over. It’s all you're doing though and I’m glad.” Niall told Harry with a toothy smile, it was much more beautiful than Harry remembered and it made his breath hitch.

 

The way Niall’s eyes sparkled when he smiled, his accent, his skin, his hair, and his lips especially his lips. All those things and more drove Harry mad though he knew nothing about Niall he still liked him, quite a lot too.

 

“You’re welcome, I’m glad I helped you out actually. You don’t deserve to be treated that way, I may not know you but you see wonderful. That and no one as breathtakingly beautiful as you should be cheated on. It just doesn’t work that way.” Harry felt a blush creep to his cheeks as he said that to Niall. He’s crap at flirting so he secretly hoped it didn’t sound half as stupid as he thought it did.

 

Niall just blushed and fumbled with his hands feeling flattered and _shy_ just thinking that Harry, one of the most beautiful people he’d ever seen thought he was attractive.

 

“If you think I’m so wonderful then curly, want to get a bottle of whiskey and get to know each other? It won’t be as ridiculous once were wasted.” Niall said with a peak of amusement in his voice knowing there was whiskey somewhere on his bedside, it was complementary with the room. Quite expensive was what he thought when he saw it too.

 

“Alright then _blondie_ get the whisky.” Said Harry with a wink and a teasing voice.

 

An hour later you could say wasted was an understatement. Though now they knew everything from last name to what their first time was like they highly doubted they would remember any of this information tomorrow morning. The somehow managed to be in each other's personal space.

 

Somewhere in their process of ‘getting to know each other’ Niall ended up straddling Harry’s waist and leaning his forehead against his. Both Niall and Harry’s eyes were glossed over and both were drunk out of their mind.

 

Niall leaned into Harry’s ear, letting his alcohol laced breath float around as he spoke.

 

“You know... I’ve really wanted to kiss you ever since I saw you downstairs...”

Harry let out a sigh hearing Niall voice the words he’d wanted to admit for a while now except it wasn’t since downstairs it was since the moment he held Niall’s fragile body against his at the park.

 

“Well then do it...” and those were the last words Harry spoke, and Niall heard for the rest of the night.

 

It was a mix of kisses and heated pants. Neither of them knew who was panting all they knew was they were together, one flush against the other. Somehow they made it on the bed and clothing was discarded. It was a blur of nude bodies, not knowing where Niall began and Harry ended. But it was sweat and cum and so much more. The way their bodies pressed together because they needed each other. Or the was it like their kisses were feverish knowing they needed this moment more than anything. They wanted to memorize every curve and every arc and every single scar on each others bodies as their hands roamed. It was a mixture of moans and pants and groans and more but it was just as much as they both wanted.

 

~

The next morning they woke up together legs tangled and sheets dirty and skin sticky with a white residue. Niall’s eyes opened first and he jumped. He remembered everything, everything from getting into the room to the moment his eyes shut from exhaustion. He swore loudly and got out of the bed quickly.

 

_‘This wasn’t supposed to happen, I wasn’t supposed to sleep with him. This was a mistake, you’re so stupid’_ He thought as he breathed in and out pathetically trying to find something to say before Harry woke up but it was too late because the younger lad was already awake and he too remembered everything.

 

He looked out of the bed to see a very frustrated and flustered Niall and swore himself for being so stupid. Of course this wasn’t serious, of course Niall would regret everything. What was he thinking.

 

“I.. um I’ll go. I’m sorry...” said Harry awkwardly shuffling out of the bed quickly and grabbing at his clothes trying to put it on as quickly as possible. The air felt tense around him and he just wanted out. He couldn’t stand to be in this atmosphere.

 

He didn’t want to leave, and he sure as hell wasn’t sorry but he thought that why lie to himself thinking that Niall wanted him to stay. Why would he? It’s just awkward Harry.

Niall wanted Harry to stay, to lay in bed and cuddle with him but he couldn’t will himself to say the words as Harry gave him a feeble goodbye as he stepped out of the room quickly. It was crazy how much Niall wanted to cry at that moment. He had ruined any opportunity he could have had with a really great guy. But who was he kidding, he was just Niall. Why would he want to even _think_ about going out with him?

 

As Harry left all he could think about was the fact that he had failed to do one easy task that night, get Niall’s number.

-

_Chasing your dreams since the violent fifth grade_

_Trying to believe in your silent own way_

_Cause we'll be okay, I'm not going away_

_Like you watching at fourteen as it went down the drain_

_Your pops stayed the same and your mom’s moved away_

_How many of our parents seem to make it anyway_

_We're just fumbling through the gray_

_Trying to find a heart that's not walking away_

-

  
  
  



	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I ended up only really using half of the song for the fic, because well I didn't have the ideas to incorporate into it. Also its kinda of short which is really dissapointing apart from really late. I really just wanted to give this an ending thats why I wrote this, sad because I had high expectations for the second half. I might eventually edit it and repost it but thats no where near now. I hope you guys like the rounded up ending <3

-  
Chasing your dreams since the violent fifth grade  
Trying to believe in your silent own way  
Cause we'll be okay, I'm not going away  
Like you watching at fourteen as it went down the drain  
Your pops stayed the same and your mom’s moved away  
How many of our parents seem to make it anyway  
We're just fumbling through the gray  
Trying to find a heart that's not walking away  
-  
The third time Niall saw Harry it was fate. Neither of them knew this of course, both had that sweet and sour aftertaste of what happened that night in vegas. Niall thought grimly that he wished he’d told harry to stay. He knew deep down thats what he wanted all along but he didn’t really know until Harry was out the hotel door. It was like someone decided to squeeze his heart until it hurt so much he didn’t remember how to breath. 

He cried that day, and the day after that, and not to mention the week after that too. Niall didn’t want to pin after Harry, he didn’t really. He just naturally did and he couldn’t stand the fact that he’d been the one that messed it all up. He had been the one that decided to tell Harry it shouldn’t have happened. Though the words were a complete lie, it was meant to happen because he remembered the delicate touches and the heat of Harry’s skin radiating against his own and it was all so wonderful. 

Harry was just as torn up, if not more by the fact that he may have walked away from the perfect guy. But the sad thing he didn’t want to think about was the fact that he hadn’t willingly walked away. He didn’t want to leave that morning, he wanted to hold Niall in his arms and never let him go because he needed that. He needed to know Niall wouldn’t cry, needed to know Niall would be safe, he just needed Niall.

To both of their relief they somehow got another chance at seeing each other. But the irony of it all was the fact that it was to go to a mutual friends wedding. Louis Tomlinson was getting married to his long standing girlfriend Eleanor but neither Niall nor Harry knew that either would be at the wedding. Neither of them even knew that the other ever knew Lou in the first place so the moment that Niall spotted a head of rich chocolate curls sitting in his designated table his heart raced. He never expected another opportunity at talking to Harry again and he wasn’t going to waste it. 

His steps were rushed as he tried not to trip over his feet as he went to the table Harry was situated in. His breath was anything but steady and his heart was racing. His palms were sweaty and his lips were dry, and it was all due to the anticipation of being able to talk to the guy he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the past 4 months. Harry was looking at his phone, thinking about how stupid it felt to be at a wedding when he didn’t know half the people there and he didn’t even have a date. He had no idea that Niall was a mere feet away from him, but if he had he probably wouldn’t be surfing instagram. 

“Harry?...” Nialls voice was broken and hoarse not to mention his hands were shaking violently at his sides. He was extremely terrified of the possibility of Harry wanting absolutely nothing to do with him. 

Harry’s neck snapped up to face the irishman immediately. He thought he was hallucinating, he really did. Never in a million years did he expect to see Niall again, in his mind meeting accidently so many times only happened in movies. But right now, he was glad he was wrong. His long legs stretched from under him as he stood up to face Niall. His eyes were wide, and his mouth was slightly agape. All in all he really didn’t know how to feel at the moment. 

“Niall, why are-” Harry was cut off mid sentence by Niall’s rushed voiced and thick accent. 

“Harry, I’m sorry. I don’t know how to explain to you how much I regret letting you go. I didn’t want you to leave... I wanted you to stay, but I didn’t know that until you left. I don’t wanna say something really cheesy like you were the one that got away but dammit you were. But- but I’m not gonna let you get away this time... I want us to talk and cuddle and have date nights. We may not last long because well in all honesty we don’t know each other much but I really want to try. I don’t even know what else to say at this point... just can we start all over?”

Niall was out of breath, his heart was racing and he hoped so badly that Harry understood. He hoped that Harry gave him an opportunity to be more than just a guy he slept with once upon a time. 

But he was gravely disappointed as Harry turned on his heel and walked away from the table. He felt tears prick at his eyes and Niall could swear he heard his heart shatter. He sat at the table and breathed. He looked at what was on the table and saw a half drank glass of wine and downed it in one go. He felt the red liquid flow down his throat and wished wine was a bit stronger. 

He felt a tap on his shoulder and looked up, expecting anyone but Harry who was exactly who he saw. This time it was Nialls turn to gape at Harry, his eyes were still glossy but he was ecstatic at the fact that Harry was standing in front of him. Harry smiled a toothy grin in his direction as he sat next to Niall at the table. 

“Hi, I’m Harry Styles.” His voice was bright, cheerful and extremely happy. Everything about him radiated peace and happiness. And honestly that’s all Niall really wanted. 

-  
Like ships in the night  
You keep passing me by  
Just wasting time  
Trying to prove who's right  
And if it all goes crashing into the sea  
If it’s just you and me  
Trying to find the light  
Like ships in the night  
You’re passing me by  
You’re passing me by  
Like ships in the night  
-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well comment if you want, and kudos are super appreciated. But just reading it counts for me, Thanks for reading <3

**Author's Note:**

> If you want feel free to comment, but thanks for reading none the less. xx  
> Also like I said before this is PART 1 next part will be up on Saturday because I don't think I can post tomorrow.   
> Also this is first time EVER i write something entirely third person. I'm quite proud.


End file.
